reading while at the gym, really?

Can't read while doing cardio ---- if I did I would totally ruin the book with sweat.

I have tried so many times to read while i'm on the treadmill but I can not do it! I would love to be able to catch up on some reading while i'm walking/jogging I just can't do it lol
But like a lot of other have said at least they are up and moving a bit jelly I can't do it thought :grumble:

My knees are wrecked, so I can't do intense treadmill workouts, and even elliptical workouts have to be pretty careful for me. In that case there's really nothing to "concentrate" on and I can read away.

In my humble opinion, if you are reading book or watching a tablet while at gym then said person is not working out hard enough and/or are not concentrating on routine.

I'm so sorry that what other people do is detrimental to your own efforts. Shame on them for making your workout less effective.

If you saw me at the gym weight room with my iPod, you would probably think I am just watching goofy YouTube stuff. What I am really doing is logging my workout on SL5x5 app, watching Rippetoe form videos, recording my own workouts and reviewing them between sets in order to improve form.

I leave the reading for in the bath tub after a long, hard workout.

I study for school on the bike, it keeps me distracted and makes time go faster. I do glance up every now and then to make sure my pace is still good though.

Judgie! I read my kindle while on the stationary bike. It lets me read while still moving- which makes me happy. What people at the gym don't see is the hour and a half of hot yoga I do at night or the free weights I play with in my basement. Or the running, hiking, swimming... you get the idea. The gym isn't the only place to work out, and that person who is "slacking" may be doing other things elsewhere.

If I can read while working out I'm not working hard enough. If I'm trying to push myself I need music with a driving beat, nothing else will do.

My mom takes her Kindle to the gym and I see older men reading the Newspaper quite often. The people who do this are probably aiming to keep their mind off the fact that they are in fact exercising. I don't see it as a fail, I see it as a win. The could easily be doing the same thing, but sitting down. At least they're moving.

don't you think they would have better progress/results if they concentrated on their routine for an hour?

Or they might have no progress or results because the gym is beyond boring to some people. If bringing a book makes it an enjoyable experience, there's a way better chance they'll actually go.

Pretty much this. Some people aren't at the gym to give it 110%, they don't care about body composition or carb cycling or going to failure or all that advanced mumbo jumbo. They just want to get in some of their recommended daily activity. And if bringing a book/tablet helps them from being mind numbingly bored, then more power to them. My advice to those it bothers is to stop being such an elitist.

The only issue I would have is if it makes it unsafe. Personally trying to a read a book while running on a treadmill is nigh impossible without falling off. On a stationary bike or something though, totally works.

I read on the elliptical and burn about 600 calories in an hour. For me it covers the timer/calorie counter and it seems like my time flies by. Sometimes my book is so good I go over my original goal. It's no different than watching t.v. For me it's the only time I read because at home I have 2 children that don't let me have a moments rest.